Tunnel safety and road work in the Bernese Oberland

Comprehensive road works are being carried out on the national roads A6 and A8 in the Bernese Oberland since 2013 with the aim of enhancing the safety of road users. One of the main tasks will be to construct emergency galleries in all tunnels in which traffic travels in both directions through a single tube. This measure will ensure that road users will be able to escape from the tunnel in the event of a fire.

The renovation programme will also focus on the maintenance of the stretch of the A8 between Interlaken-Ost and Brienz. The intention here is to completely renovate the stretch along the left-hand side of Lake Brienz. One of the main objectives is to bring the tunnels into line with the latest safety standards. For example, the ventilation system in the Giessbach tunnel is to be upgraded, and all engineering structures (bridges, retaining walls, etc.), as well as road surfaces, are to be repaired or renovated, starting in 2019.